The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-06-23

the land now claimed by Samuel Gibson,
one OF the defendants, and was the same |
spot shown this day to Joseph Woodrow |
and Richard Collins. The Indian en-.
campment where Downing killed the
Indian was a large cncampment, and
was called winter encampment for the
Indians" This encampment was sup
posed to be in what is now called Clin-
ton county.l "The deponent was at the
camp on Gibson's entry in the years 1911
and 1918. The country at that time was
almost wholly unexplored, and no other
trace or path in that part Of the country
made by horsemen. So that there could
be no mistake as to the trace"
While on this scout in the year 1871
Simon Kenton encamped within three
fourths of mile Of "Kelly's Lick" and
shot deer there. Kelly's lick is about
four hundred yards northeast of Aaron
Kelly's house, and near the, Little
Rocky Fork. There is now no trace of
salt. It was called "Kelly's Lick" after
Ezekiel Kelly, the father of Aaron
Kelly, who was a noted hunter at an
early day, and supplied the neighbor-
hood with venison. Kenton's encamp-
ment was made on the farm now owned
by James Carlisle, Esq, and lies directly
north of the lick about three-fourths Of
a mile. When, twenty years after, in
the year 1911, Kenton being brought
back to testify in the case before men,
toned, as to the lines and corners of
, Gibson's survey, said that he re.nem-
bered to have killed deer at lick near
the encampment. After going to the
lick and shaping his course for the
camp, he observed after stopping, that
he was on the spot, and if he was, they
would find an ash tree with tomahawk
mark in it. The tree was found and ex.
amined, and corroborated his statement.
1t will thus appear that Kenton had
been at this camp at three different
times, in the years 1871, 1911, and 1918.
Samuel Gibson, one Of the defendants
in the suit mentioned in this sketch,
was a resident of Kentucky, and moved
to his land in the Rocky Fork Of Paint
Creek seven years after the entry was
made for him by Kenton. Gibson
erected a mill where Bishir's dam now
is, and which has been continuously
used for the same purpose ever since.
Samuel Gibson was soldier of the Rev.
olutionary war, and the land so located
for him was in consideration for services,
but the entry proving defective, he was
compelled to purchase the land Of which
he vainly thought he was the true
owner.
1t might not be out of place to inquire
for moment as to the various titles to
the lands within the borders of our
State.
At a very early day in our Revolu.
tionary War, Virginia had promised all
her soldiers lands who served in the
war, whether they were regulars, militia,
or belonged to the navy, and reserved
the land lying between the scioto and
Little Miami rivers, which she gave to
her soldiers of the Revolution, belong.
ing to the Continental army, as reward
for their services. This was called the
"virginia Military Tract"
That portion of the ceded tracts above
latitude 40 North, extending from Penn.
sylvania on the east to the western
limits of Sandusky and Seneca counties
was given by Congress to Connecticut
and is called the "Western Reserve" Of
"New Connecticut" Five hundred
thousand acres of this tract off the west
end, the State of Connecticut gave tc
certain sufferers by fire in the Revolu
tionary War, and are called "Fire
Lands"
A part of the ceded lands, lying along
the Ohio river, including the mouths o.
the Muskingum and Hockhocking rivers
was sold by the old Congress to thu
Ohio Company. This was called thu
"Ohio Conpany's Purchase"
John Cleves Symmes, of New Jersey
bought of the old Congress the lane
|, lying between the mouth of the two
, Miamis, and extending northerly so a
, to contain six hundred thousand acres
this is called "Symmes" Purchase.
The United States had promised he
I soldiers who served during the War o
, the Revolution lands for their services
, and Congress laid off tract for tina
purpose, lying south of the "wester,
Reserve" or "New Connecticut" ex
= tending from the Ohio River on the eas
i. to the Scioto on the west. This is calle'
the "United States Military Tract"
3 The titles to lands in the Virgins
, Military District were acquired by entr.
3 and survey by virtue of military LAM
warrants, issued by the State of Virgins
to her officers and soldiers of the Cont
, mental line. Each person after tn
expiration Of the time of service, re
f ceived from the government and counci
q certificate of his rank in the army, tn
length of the time of service, and tn
number of acres to which he was en-
titled, which certificate was fled wit
9 the register of the land Office, and
Q warrant or printed paper under the ses
|. of the Office, was issued to the owner